CAN 2025: The giants live up to expectations, an unsurprising opening day

27.12.25 FT AFCON - Africa Cup of Nations

Senegal

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DR Congo

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The opening day of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations was marked by victories from the top contenders. All the favorites delivered as expected.

Morocco defeated Comoros (2-0) in their Group A debut, while the other match ended in a draw (1-1).

In Group B, South Africa and Egypt scraped hard-fought 2-1 wins over Angola and Zimbabwe, respectively. The Pharaohs relied on Mohamed Salah, who secured victory in stoppage time.

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Tunisia recorded a convincing win over Uganda (2-1) with a brace from Elias Achouri, while Nigeria narrowly avoided a Tanzanian upset (2-1).

Senegal and DR Congo also made their mark in Group D. The Lions of Teranga comfortably dispatched Botswana (3-0), while the Leopards edged Benin (1-0) in a match overshadowed by refereeing controversy.

Algeria, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Cameroon also got off to a flying start on Wednesday, confirming the trend: An opening day without surprises.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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AFCON - Africa Cup of Nations